Helen Thomas: Barack Obama Doesn’t Have the Courage to Do the Things He Should

EDITOR’S NOTE, June 8, 2010: In response to criticism about her May 27, 2010 comments to Rabbi David Nesenoff on the state of Isreal—namely that the Israeli Jews “should go home” to “Poland, Germany…America and everywhere else”—Helen Thomas resigned from her position as a columnist with Hearst Newspapers on June 7.

NEW YORK, July 3, 2009 (BlogTalkRadio): Unabashed John F. Kennedy fan though she is, Helen Thomas is less than thrilled with the current incarnation of Camelot.

Interviewed on the Judy Joy Jones Show, the Godmother of White House correspondents—who has covered every Oval Office occupant since JFK—doesn’t hesitate to opine on America’s commanders-in-chief.

"Why should we go there and kill and die?" Helen (above) says regarding Obama's new military strategy in Afghanistan.

When host Judy Joy Jones comments to Helen, “I’m sure that you don’t have a favorite president. I guess you have to be pretty detached in that regard,” the former UPI bureau chief says:

“No, no, I had a favorite: Kennedy. I thought he was brilliant. I thought he had great ideas.

“He created the Peace Corps. He signed the first nuclear-test-ban treaty. And he said, ‘We’re going to land men on the moon.'”

Shortly after that, she offers her take on our nation’s 44th president.

“He’s disappointing me. He has a conscience, but he doesn’t have the courage to do the things that he should have done—which is single-payer, on medicine,” Helen says of Barack Obama. “Nobody in this country should lack for medical care. We have 47 million people who don’t have any insurance and medicine. And that’s shocking.”

(Single-payer health care is an approach to health-care financing with only one source of money for paying health-care providers. On Wednesday, President Obama rejected the single-payer model, citing instead one that would preserve private insurance companies, while offering a government-run option.)

Helen also slams the president”s foreign policy.

Helen covering her No. 1 presidential pick.

“He’s going into Afghanistan, and he’s broadened the war. He has not learned the lessons of Vietnam and Iraq,” says the veteran journalist, who currently writes a column for the Hearst Newspapers syndicate, and whose new book, Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do, will be published in the fall.

“We should not be there. To put U.N. peacekeeper forces there would be fine. But to get involved in another no-win war?

“Afghans know every cave, they know every stream, they know every mountain. It’s their country.”

I believe Ms. Thomas, whom I respect greatly, isn’t looking far enough beneath the surface regarding Afghanistan. May I humbly suggest to her that it could just be the President’s intention to exact proper revenge for 9/11 and previous binLaden productions. Both of his immediate predecessors had the chance and blew it. I don’t think Obama lacks courage in any way, shape, or form. If he had the guts to run for president with a middle name like ‘Hussein’ he’s got balls of steel.

Gee, Helen, where the hell were you when we PUMAs were crying out to you and other so-called journalists about the BO-trained ACORN cheating, thuggery, and intimidation we witnessed and suffered firsthand at our Dem caucuses. They were RIGGED! The proof of the pudding is in the eating–or, in this case, the data, which is copious and have been collected by Dr. Lynette Long. And where were you “journalists” at that sham of an RBC meeting, which made a mockery of democracy or, better yet, was ANTIdemocratic, huh, Helen?

We told you that no good could ever come from the “selection” of a Chicago thug pol.

Too little, and much too late!

I’m disappointed in YOU, Helen! I thought you, above all, would be above being bamboozled and stooping to sycophantism. Boy, was I wrong….

I don’t understand this obsession with bigger government. I earned a scholarship to go to college but did not rely on affirmitive action. I work really hard and am glad that the company I work for has a great insurance plan.

I respect Ms. Thomas as an elderly person but I do not respect her outdated Socialist ideas.

If people actually researched the facts they would not be pro government run health care. Ms. Thomas says 47 million people in America do not have health insurance. But if you actually take the time to do the research you will find that a majority of the people who do not have health care are first of all, non-tax payers who are illegal immigrants. They should not have government health care because they don’t pay for it… we do. Also, you have a lot of college students who choose not to get a plan because they are healthy and do not need it.

Think of it this way . . . we spend $100 a month to get our hair done or pimp our rides but can’t cough up money to take care of our health needs. Ms. Thomas, why should I spend my hard-earned money on these people? Why should I sacrifice for these ungrateful people? Why don’t you and your croonies fund a program if you are so concerned.

I am sorry to be so harsh, but I think you are deeply out of touch. We are the greatest country in the world. And I think if you take the time to get out of the White House and to a third world country, you will see that, actually, we have a great health system. Not perfect, but the best! Run by a free market system and not a 3rd rate socialist system!

There is no accountability in or from or around government. The people do not require it, and the media does not allow it to be discussed. Rather, the media is entirely about excusing the government, financial institutions, and public from any accountability.

Period. Helen Thomas is not relevant now, nor will she ever be relevant. Period.

It’s true that Helen Thomas is an iconic figure but there comes a time in every individual’s life when the mind and body deteriorate faster than one would like. She’s opinionated enough to make caustic remarks now but because of who she is – the public is not about to make allowances. It’s good for her to have resigned rather than spend what little time she’s got left arguing a point and been thrown out.

I have a web site that is helping families to stay together because oh so often the Government is pulling them apart for money I have this non-profit group to help get some new laws in place for the DCFS/CPS system Please email if you want to here more or to talk to me Denise@pastcps.org THANKS